<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>man in a movie by nonamebut</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22864666">man in a movie</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/nonamebut/pseuds/nonamebut'>nonamebut</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Actor Na Jaemin, Alternate Universe - High School, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Misunderstandings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 06:08:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,820</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22864666</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/nonamebut/pseuds/nonamebut</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>jisung can't act to save his life.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Na Jaemin/Park Jisung</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>104</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>man in a movie</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this was kinda inspired by that drama dojae had an ost for last year.. i cannot remember tbh but its the one where someone faked a katalk couple profile pic(????) im so sorry drama gods ill do better</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jisung doesn't really mean to do it. He's just feeling the pressure big time, alright? As if anyone would do any better faced in this awkward situation, just as Valentine's Day comes to a close.</p><p>He does what any self respecting junior would do when faced with a bunch of overly aggressive upperclassmen.</p><p>"Aah, I'm so sorry..." Jisung lies with the most apologetic face he can muster. In his mind's eye he flicks through metaphorical channels, a television playing through all the dramas Jaemin's been casted in. It's a tried and true method even Donghyuck would be proud of.</p><p>He doesn't have to think too deeply to recall the most pitiful expression to steal, to show these very troublesome seniors. "I'm already seeing someone else. It's still new so I can't say much, but I really like this person.. so if only you guys could please understand..."</p><p>The boy gestures around vaguely, trying to communicate that he would very much like them all to get out of his way so he can finally shower and go home. School and practice has got him extra beat today and he really doesn't want to deal with all this... confession stuff anymore.</p><p>All the ladies look appropriately dejected, but the gravity of the situation only really hits the day morning after, when the <em>rumors</em> start spreading like wildfire.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"What is the meaning of this?" Yeojin hisses at him as he does his best to discreetly make his way to his seat. It doesn't work; Jisung ends up triping a grand total of three times (two times over the bags of his classmates and once on <em>thin air</em>, amazing) before he finally sits beside his livid seatmate.</p><p>"it's exactly what you think it is," Jisung says, glum and really not mentally equipped to handle all this right now. He kind of wishes he could just... zone out long enough until everything calms down again.</p><p>It's not exactly ideal, the way everyone in the room leans towards him, their green uniforms making them all look like greedy weeds fighting for his attention. He doesn't bother giving any of them the time of day because Yeojin does all glaring for him.</p><p>Thank God for best friends who can stick up for you. Right?</p><p>Except the downside is same as the upside, if you will. Yeojin care Jisung, so of course she's going to round on him as soon as she's done with everyone else.</p><p>"Are you an <em>idiot</em>?" She tugs at his uniform sleeve and whines. "Huh? I know for a fact that it's not exactly what I think it is. I bet you just lied—"</p><p>"—Shhh!"</p><p>Yeojin activates her most shiny puppy eyes, conveying such Oscar award winning emotion despite being muffled by Jisung's big, awkward palm.</p><p>"Says you!" hisses Jisung. He lets go of the girl when people start staring again. "What about Lena from the class next door? Huh?"</p><p>Yeojin opens her mouth. Then closes it.</p><p>"That's fair. But she's not a long graduated senior, she's in our year! That makes all the difference, Sungie."</p><p>"Yeahhh," Jisung says wistfully. He'll give her that.</p><p>"It kind of does, huh."</p><p>"... Okay and?" Yeojin persists. "Tell me what really happened then."</p><p>Jisung rewinds. And so, last night played out a little like this:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The thing is that it's hard meeting up with Jaemin and the other 2000 liners nowadays. Two years isn't that big of a gap but it's during times like this that the space yawns and widens and makes Jisung feel like he needs to wake the hell up and face reality.</p><p>But the picture fiasco must have gotten enough of Jaemin's interest for him to make an effort to reach out first. He invited Jisung to some ice cream at one of the places the gang used to hang out after school—back when even Mark was still a senior.</p><p>Ah, right. After Jisung told all those girls off he didn't expect any of them to take it so seriously, so devastatingly, that they looked through his Katalk profile picture history and realize that there's a whole lot of Jaemin in it.</p><p>(How they figured out it was him is still a major mystery to Jisung, but hey, he supposes that if you stare at someone long enough, you can identify the slope of their nose, the curve of their smile. Of course these girls would know Jaemin just as much as he does.)</p><p>But anyway, the point is that he talked to Jaemin. (Rather, Jaemin was the one who talked to him, but it's all semantics.) And that's when he said <em>I'll just date you then! I'll take you out after school, my treat. Sound cool?</em></p><p>Jisung flounders a bit, a fish out of water. <em>You mean like. Like the dramas?</em></p><p>He remembers that one romcom Donghyuck made him watch when Donghyuck was still beefing with Mark a couple summers ago. The one movie where they fake married so the lady could stay in the country but then the main characters eventually—inevitably—fell in love.</p><p>No no no no, Jisung is not considering that. No, he is not thinking about whether or not Jaemin might actually like him ba—</p><p>—<em>Exactly like that</em>, Jaemin confirms, smile warm and kind and lovely. Jisung is stunned into nodding.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Oh, Jisung." Yeojin whispers as the teacher comes in, "you're so in trouble."</p><p>"Tell me about it."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Honestly, the reaction Jisung's really worried about isn't Yeojin's. She is, after, his "greatest shooter." Her words, not his.</p><p>It's his older brother, okay? Just the thought of texting him that he's going to be home late—that it's because he's going on a date—makes him feel the way he does before a dance club production.</p><p>Except it's amplified a bajillion times and only of the negative nervous jitters.</p><p>No amount of mental preparation would make him feel ready for this, but he's already gone and texted Donghyuck (with the help of Yeojin holding the send button captive, of course) and now he's waiting for what he'll say about blowing off a well worn Lee-Park tradition.</p><p>His phone lights up with a <em>wtfff i thought we were gonna movie marathon</em>.</p><p>And that's when the guilt truly creeps in. At first he thought that Donghyuck only did all this stuff—the doting, the hovering, the teasing—because he was just bored and felt like it, but really, Donghyuck just has all the best intentions in mind.</p><p>Even if he might not be as direct about it all the time. After all, Donghyuck was one of the first people to support him when he decided to join a school club for the first time, crying not so crocodile tears when the baby boy himself finally showed interest in something other than, well. School, or breathing.</p><p>Jisung is half way through his reply when Donghyuck adds a <em>dude im gonna tell on u wtf</em>.</p><p>Okay, okay, he can work with that. He knows how to respond to this. <em>then do it coward!</em></p><p><em>omg. u must be serious????</em> There's a bit of a pause, and Jisung watches the dot dot dot of the typing animation before Donghyuck goes, <em>have fun ig dont be stupid</em></p><p>Another beat. <em>dont do what i wouldnt do</em></p><p><em>love you.</em> Jisung smiles, cracks a little. He keeps himself from straight up calling Donghyuck, sure that he's still in serious college class, and decides to face this challenge by himself for once.</p><p>It's strange how Donghyuck doesn't bother him more than he usually does, but it also, strangely, gives Jisung courage.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Na Jaemin really is proof that God does, indeed, have favorites.</p><p>During their not-date, Jaemin really pulls all the stops. A walk by the water, the dinner in a publicly romantic restaurant, an obligatory stuffed toy from a claw machine.</p><p><em>He's a good actor</em>, Jisung thinks distantly. Jaemin had even pulled some moves he hadn't seen in any of his movies before, which made Jisung feel like he was a bit of a protagonist in his own right.</p><p>The conspicuous flash of cameras wasn't even that bad. It never felt like Jaemin was smiling for the fans that always congregated around them.</p><p>It's no big deal. Jaemin's still Jaemin. A big nerd with an admirable, humble heart. Jisung really gets his fans—it's hard, to even look away for a second.</p><p>And that was that.</p><p>"Thanks hyung. I really had lots of fun. Like, for real."</p><p>"No need to thank me, Jisungie. I did too." To really top it all off Jaemin even drove Jisung back. Now, he pulls up in front of his house. "Have a good night."</p><p>He's already half way out the door when he remembers himself and asks, "did you want to come in?"</p><p>From the corner of his eye he sees his mother not so subtly peering out of the window blinds. The one beside her is probably Donghyuck, oh god.</p><p>"Nah, gotta head home soon. I have a shoot in a few hours so I'm going to get some sleep while I can. But thank you, Jisung."</p><p>Oh, okay. Jisung says, voice small and quiet. "Good luck, hyung." <em>Not that you'd need it, I think.</em></p><p>Jaemin laughs. Jisung finally places his foot down on the pavement, pushing out of the car.</p><p>"<em>Bye</em>, Jisung."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Later, when Jaemin even sends a good night text, Jisung tries not to fall even more. He screams into his calculus text book for five whole minutes.</p><p>#1 annoying hyung: good night baby (´▽`ʃƪ)♡ you better be sleeping now or else this is gonna get real embarrassing!!!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>#1 annoying hyung: good morning cutie ♡(˃͈ દ ˂͈ ༶ )</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Donghyuck snorts. He says, softly, as if he's talking only to himself, "Damn, I should do that too."</p><p>"Are you not already?" Jisung scoffs, and it earns him a gentle head butt. He laughs, fond.</p><p>They're waiting outside the theater, because now that Jisung's been going on dates Donghyuck's had to form new habits and he just so happened to drag Mark along with him for all of them.</p><p>Today Jaemin is busy because of some important shooting, so now Jisung's crashing the Markhyuck Movie event with surprisingly zero shame or second hand embarrassment.</p><p>Maybe it's because Jaemin had made it up for him in advance last weekend. They went to a newly set up carnival, and Jisung's IG story was full of endearing clips of Jaemin winning him all the biggest, cutest prizes.</p><p>(It felt so long ago already. The way he'd ran a hand along the soft fur of the mouse plushie, and let his feelings bleed into his smile. How he didn't mind it when his constant laughter might have given too much away.</p><p>Dance practice was growing longer and student council work was overwhelming, but in that moment he had forgotten everything.</p><p>It was worth it, for the look Jaemin had in his eyes, when Jaemin had so much had looked at him.)</p><p>Donghyuck has to poke Jisung's cheeks several times before he comes back down to earth. Well accustomed to Jisung's periodic spaciness, Donghyuck merely blinks at him and continues with what he was trying to say.</p><p>"Why don't you ask him to be your real boyfriend then? He's like the nicest guy ever. And he would probably die before he'd let your friendship get awkward. You know how he is."</p><p>Jisung does know how he is. He thinks of how being a child actor doesn't really lend anyone much time to make friends, and of how Jaemin strived so hard anyway. Of how Jaemin never really a normal childhood, where he could go stupid, go crazy.</p><p>Which, lowkey same. Jisung knows what it's like when everyone watches you. He's the runt of their friend group, after all. His sometimes annoying, completely overachieving friend group.</p><p>But at the same time... this friend group? It's all he knows. It's all they know.</p><p>"So?" And just like that, huh. Donghyuck really is Jisung's favorite brother. (Don't tell Jeno he said that, he still wants his extra lunch money.)</p><p>"If it goes bad I'll be the first to run to your side, okay? Nothing bad will spread about you because he needs to keep his image anyway." There's that considering pause again, the one that makes Jisung feel like he's being considered, accounted for. "Not that I wouldn't try spilling the tea on him if he weren't a celebrity. Obviously."</p><p>Jisung thinks of how his brother would probably cause a war for him. That's a surprisingly pleasant thought.</p><p>"Who are we waging a war for?" That's when Mark comes in, the tickets in his mouth warping his voice. His arms are full of popcorn and drink.</p><p>"Our baby Jisungie!" says Donghyuck all matter of fact, not taking his eyes off Jisung at all. he leans in to give a big wet smack to Jisung's forehead and pinches the younger's cheeks.</p><p>But Jisung isn't looking at Donghyuck anymore. He watches Mark watch Donghyuck, from the way the older's eyes skitter down, from Donghyuck's crinkling eyes to the way he's on his tip toes just to reach Jisung's big head.</p><p>The fondness is familiar. And it all might seem so tangential, like a non sequitur, but it makes Jisung think of 2017 summer fights, and of how this warm feeling doesn't always have to turn sour.</p><p>They're all still here now. In the future they will all, probably, still be friends anyway. No matter what things change and grow inside of them.</p><p>"Jisung-ah? Are you coming or not?"</p><p>Donghyuck stretches his hand out, and oops. Their movie is about to start.</p><p>Jisung takes the hand excitedly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Over the roar of rain, Yeojin tries to get Jisung to understand something. "Do you remember that time when Jaemin kept, like, fetching you?"</p><p>He pulls Yeojin closer just to make sure she stays dry. "Yeah, I remember. That was the time we were volunteering at that shelter."</p><p>"Uh, was it? I can't remember." A hum. "But that's not the point. What did you even say to him, to make him stop?"</p><p>"I told him it was okay, that I didn't wanna bother him and stuff. He was soooo busy, I really didn't get why he kept trying? So I insisted he stop, and he only did when I said it would just make me unhappy."</p><p>"Ahhh. I always wondered about what happened. But that makes sense." Yeojin nods sagely.</p><p>She moves his hands, clutching so very tightly to their shared umbrella, so that it's more centered. She leans in to brush stray droplets off his uniformed shoulder. "I think it's a sweet thing, how humble you are. But sometimes I wish you noticed your worth more, you know?"</p><p>"What do you mean?"</p><p>"... Oh, look. Why don't you ask him right now?"</p><p>Jisung flinches, afraid to see what's waiting for them at the school entrance. If Jaemin's here... doesn't it mean that there's trouble? Something that required some of that performative fake dating?</p><p>Huh. But if Jisung really thought about it... none of the senior girls even bother him anymore.</p><p>He thinks of Yeojin and Donghyuck and Mark and gathers the courage. Jisung looks up to see Jaemin—just Jaemin—waiting in front of their school. Waving, almost shyly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As it turns out, Jisung isn't the only one who's gathered the courage. Because then Jaemin tugs Jisung away, away from the prying eyes of other people, even though people end up snapping a pic or two of the boys holding hands.</p><p>It empowers Jisung even more, so naturally, there's only one thing he asks when they finally make their way to an empty hallway.</p><p>Jaemin doesn't even blink. (Someone just asked him to be his boyfriend? Hello? Earth to Jaemin?)</p><p>"... I mean yeah, sure. We were due to talk to my manager about it anyway—" and this makes Jisung's eyes almost bug out of their sockets— "but it would probably help if our relationship was actually, in fact, really real."</p><p>"Wait. You like me back?"</p><p>"Yes, you absolute dummy. To be honest, I was kind of asking you out that first time, but I only realized later that we totally miscommunicated." Jaemin grimaces. "Ew, just like those dumb dramas Donghyuck wants to live out with Mark hyung."</p><p>Finally, Jaemin looks up from where he's been cutely staring at their feet, turning to Jisung with a determined, firey gaze. "We <em>cannot</em> be like that. We are cute and classy not corny!"</p><p>And it's just like any other conversation, like any other moment in time. There's no life changing turning point, because they never needed it in the first place.</p><p>"Ha, for sure." Jisung laughs, and he tries not to scream when he finally notices the way Jaemin's expression softens.</p><p>He did that. He—he did that. Amazingly, miraculously.</p><p>Jisung hadn't meant to do it. (But maybe he kind of did.)</p><p>x x x x x x x x</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thanks for reading &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>